Hales Abandons TV Ad That Makes Bogus Claims About His Help for Public Schools (Updated)

Mayoral candidate Charlie Hales has taken down a TV ad that The Oregonian’s PolitiFact today busts as "false" for Hales' claims he helped keep Portland schools open during a budget crisis while he served on the Portland City Council.

As the O's PolitiFact shows, Hales claimed to have helped rescue schools—except that the time period he was talking about took place in 2003, after Hales had quit the council to go to work for HDR Inc. to market and promote streetcar projects.

Hales claims he was just confused about the timing. His campaign has stripped all evidence of the TV ad from YouTube.

Update April 30: The rival Eileen Brady campaign for mayor has posted this YouTube video of Hales' public comments regarding the schools funding: